Should You Try to Lose Weight During the Whole30?

By PrimalPal Team

Aug 8, 2013

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The first week of the Whole30 Experience is officially in the books. I’m happy to report that there have been no slips, no cheats and absolutely no excuses! I hope that you’re with me and feeling good during your own Whole30.

We had some storms roll through the area that knocked out our power. After having our power knocked out for three days not too long ago we were super stoked! Anyway, we had to call an audible on the meal plan. I picked up a roasted chicken from the local supermarket and we had that along side some veggies. Quick and simple and totally Whole30 compliant.

Sometimes things come up that are out of your control but if you stay in a resourceful state of mind you can overcome challenges.

Goals during the Whole30

The Whole9 crew is very adamant about avoiding the scale during the Whole30. I have to say that I’m with them on this.

I’m not saying that the goal to lose weight is bad but, in my humble opinion, it shouldn’t be your main focus during the Whole30. The Whole30 is more about changing your eating habits and building a better understanding of how food impacts your health and your body.

With that being said, losing weight is fine as a secondary focus. Just realize that we’re only talking about 30 days here. If you’re trying to lose 25 pounds in 30 days that could be a very tough challenge. I’m all for thinking BIG and challenging yourself but it wouldn’t be a good idea to expect dramatic body composition changes in just 30 days. More on the difference between body weight and body composition below.

Sure, you’ll probably see some positive changes if you stick with it for 30 days. But if you have more ambitious fat loss goals you’ll most likely need to keep going with your new eating habits and exercise program.

Besides, you’re trying to create lasting change in your life by doing the Whole30 challenge. What’s the point of doing this for 30 days if a year from now you’re back to where you started? Either the changes stick with you or it’s a waste.

"What's the point of doing this for 30 days if a year from now you're back to where you started?" [Tweet This]

Whole30 Experience Video Update

Taking measurements instead of weighing yourself

If you have a weight loss goal I want to suggest that you stop using the scale to gauge your progress. The scale is misleading. It doesn’t tell you much about body composition.

When trying to lose weight what you’re usually talking about is losing body fat. For some reason the “losing weight” phrase has stuck around. The goal is to lose unhealthy body fat.

The scale will not tell you how much body fat you have lost. It only tells you total pounds lost or gained. These pounds could come in the form of water weight, lost muscle and also lost fat. There are too many variables at play to rely on the scale alone.

A better method to see if your making progress is to use a tape measure and a mirror. Take pictures of yourself front, side and back then take body measurements. You’ll want to measure your waist, hips, thighs, neck and upper-arms. That’s right, measure those guns!

Using the tape measure and before and after pictures will give you a better method for measuring progress. It’s totally possible to lose inches but gain weight. Muscle is more dense than fat but it takes up a lot less room!

The tape measure will tell you if you made progress and so will your after pictures. If you lose body fat you will look more toned in the mirror no matter what the scale reads. Throw that darn thing away!

Thanks for tuning in to my Whole30 experience update. Check back again soon for more updates, Whole30 recipes and Whole30 meal plans. In fact, you can get started creating a Whole30 paleo meal plan for free right now... there’s no time like the present!

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